Palos Forest Preserves
Illinois · Midwest
Moderate
April-June
Free
Dawn to dusk daily
About This Location
The Palos Forest Preserves encompass over 14,000 acres in southwestern Cook County, making them the largest contiguous forest preserve complex in the Chicago region. The rolling terrain — unusual for the flat Chicago area — supports mature oak-hickory forest, prairie remnants, sloughs, and wetlands that host exceptional bird diversity.
The preserves are home to breeding species rare in the Chicago area, including Pileated Woodpecker, Barred Owl, and Red-shouldered Hawk. Spring migration brings warblers, thrushes, and flycatchers to the extensive forest, and the combination of water features and wooded uplands creates habitat diversity that supports over 250 recorded species. Key birding areas include Maple Lake, the Sag Valley, and the trails around Teason's Woods.
Location
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Live Bird Data
Powered by eBird / Cornell Lab of Ornithology
Notable Sightings
Orange-crowned Warbler
Leiothlypis celata
Redpoll
Acanthis flammea
Purple Martin
Progne subis
Blue-winged Teal
Spatula discors
Redpoll
Acanthis flammea
Redpoll
Acanthis flammea
Black-capped Chickadee
Poecile atricapillus
Chipping Sparrow
Spizella passerina
Tree Swallow
Tachycineta bicolor
Iceland Gull (kumlieni)
Larus glaucoides
Common Raven
Corvus corax
Horned Grebe
Podiceps auritus
Tree Swallow
Tachycineta bicolor
Horned Grebe
Podiceps auritus
Greater Yellowlegs
Tringa melanoleuca
Blue-winged Teal
Spatula discors
Lesser Yellowlegs
Tringa flavipes
Blue-winged Teal
Spatula discors
Redpoll
Acanthis flammea
European Goldfinch
Carduelis carduelis
Birding Tips
- 1
Maple Lake and the slough trails are the most productive areas for spring migrants
- 2
Listen for Barred Owls calling at dawn — they breed in the old-growth sections
- 3
The preserves are large enough for a full day of birding with minimal overlap between areas
Amenities
Nearby Attractions
- Sagawau Environmental Learning Center
- Little Red Schoolhouse Nature Center
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